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How to Properly Install A Hydraulic Power Steering Seal

Author: Helen

Aug. 13, 2024

How to Properly Install A Hydraulic Power Steering Seal

One of the most important parts that protects the inner components that drive a power steering system is the input shaft seal. In order for a power steering system to operate, it must connect with a steering shaft. The steering shaft runs from the steering wheel and provides driver input to the power steering system. There are two seals that are used to make sure that dust does not enter while the power steering fluid is retained. The first seal is, quite literally, a dust cover. The second seal is the input shaft seal. This seal is responsible for preventing power steering fluid from leaking. If the seal is damaged, hydraulic fluid can leak from the power steering input shaft and eventually overheat the system or break down all together. So you can see why protecting these units is vital in order to keep your customers' vehicles in tip-top condition. So today, we're going to look at the most foolproof method used to install hydraulic power steering seals. 

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First off, what are the common warning signs which indicate that a customer may need to replace their power steering seal? Well, there are three major ones that you should know and which you should inform your customers to be on the lookout for. 

  1. Whining noises from the power steering when going into a turn
  2. Low power steering fluid with no obvious leaks from the hoses
  3. Power steering fluid leaks on the ground under the back end of the engine 

So your customer comes in needing to replace their power steering seal. What are you going to need in order to replace it? Let's go through some materials you most definitely have laying around your shop that can help when it comes time to install a hydraulic power steering seal. 

Hydraulic Power Steering Seal INstallation Materials 

  • Grease pen
  • Liquid containment drain pan
  • Replacement input shaft seal kit
  • Ratchet or boxed end wrench
  • Press fittings and line press
  • Hydraulic line wrenches
  • Large flat-blade screwdriver
  • Multiple probes and seal removal screwdrivers
  • Safety equipment 

Now it's time to get down to business and begin the process of installing the actual power steering seal. 

Process

  1. Disconnect the battery and lift the vehicle. As you know, this is always the first step when any work is being done on a vehicle. Always lift the car with a hydraulic lift or jacks and jack stands. After you've located the vehicle's battery, make sure to disconnect both the positive and negative battery cables. 
  2. Remove the power steering gear from the car. This step is going to differ from vehicle to vehicle, so make sure you're referring to the specific service manual for the car you're working on for the correct instructions on how to remove the power steering gear. 
  3. Clean the gearbox. Using a quality chemical solvent, thoroughly spray the outside of the gearbox and attempt to remove as much debris and grime as possible from the outside of the gearbox. You want to completely clean the gearbox before disassembly.
  4. Remove the input shaft face cover. After you've thoroughly cleaned the gearbox of any debris and dirt, you're going to remove the face cover from the input shaft itself. The face cover is designed to be the first line of defense against any possibly debris. Once you've removed this, set it aside as you'll need to reinstall it unless you plan on using a new one included in the input shaft seal kit. 
  5. Mark the cover and housing. Using your grease pen, mark the location of the outside input shaft cover on the housing. This way, you'll be able to correctly reinstall the cover once you've replaced the seals inside. 
  6. Remove bearing cap bolts and cover. Now it's time to remove the four bolts that hold the bearing cover onto the gear housing. Remove these and then the input shaft bearing from the housing. It's a good idea to then cover the housing with a clean rag to ensure no contaminants enter the gear set. 
  7. Pry the soft seal from the cap cover. Pry the old dust seal from the inside of the input shaft bearing using a probe. 
  8. Drive the input shaft seal with a seal driver. The input shaft seal needs to be inserted through the bearing center by using a seal driver with a press or a perfect sized socket and hammer. But it's best to utilize the press and seal driver method in this case. 
  9. Remove the bearing cap. Does your installation kit have an o-ring? If so, you should replace it at the same time that you remove the input shaft seal. Do this by removing the o-ring with a flat blade screwdriver or a metal probe. 
  10. Clean the input shaft bearing. Now it's time to clean the input shaft bearing with a can of solvent. Make sure to dry it thoroughly with a clean rag before you reinstall the new input shaft seal. 
  11. Install input shaft seal. OK, we've reached the installation step! To begin, place the cover face down and lightly coat the outside of the input shaft seal with oil. Using an arbor press or a seal driver, install the new input shaft seal. Then, reinstall the other components in the reverse order of the removal stage. 
  12. Prep the car. Make sure you fill the power steering fluid reservoir to the indicator line and reconnect the battery cables so that the car is ready to go. 
  13. Test the vehicle. The final step is to start the car, test everything and check underneath for any leaks. 
Installing seals is a part of your shop's everyday routine. But it never hurts to brush up on the basics and make sure your techs are doing their best and covering the bases every step of the way.

Installing seals is a part of your shop's everyday routine. But it never hurts to brush up on the basics and make sure your techs are doing their best and covering the bases every step of the way. TransTec is doing just that in order to bring you the latest sealing technology from the world's largest OEM automotive sealing parts manufacturer.

 

How To Choose the Right Power Steering Fluid

A leak in the power steering system is one of the most common leaks that car owners experience. It&#;s also one that is easily preventable! Regularly flushing your vehicle&#;s power steering fluid will keep your car running smoothly and stop leaks before they even happen! Many car owners, however, want to know how much a power steering flush will cost before they decide how they&#;re going to move forward with this necessary item on the maintenance checklist. If you suspect your power steering system may have sprung a leak, you can always use BlueDevil Power Steering Stop Leak to patch the leak as you drive. Our industry-leading formula is expertly designed to get your car back on the road with zero time in the shop! 

BlueDevil Power Steering Stop Leak 

Power Steering Flush Cost

Just like a coolant flush, the cost of your power steering flush will depend on the make and model of your car and whether or not you are taking the vehicle into a shop or performing the flush yourself. A typical power steering flush, including labor costs, will run you anywhere from $90 to $125. If you&#;re performing the flush on your own, all you need is the right fluid, which will usually cost around $10.  Finding the right fluid presents its own obstacles, however.

What Kind of Power Steering Fluid Does My Car Need? 

If you&#;re performing the flush at home to save money, finding the right fluid for your power steering system is not always as simple as checking the owner&#;s manual. Ignore this section if you have your owner&#;s manual. If you don&#;t have your owner&#;s manual and can&#;t find the information online, buckle up. 

  1. Before checking on which power steering fluid your car needs, we recommend making sure your car actually has a hydraulic power steering system.  If your vehicle was manufactured in the 80s, 90s or early s, then you probably do. However, it can be worth it to make sure. Late model vehicles often came with a completely manual power steering system due to the smaller tires installed on older cars. On the other end of the spectrum, more car companies are transitioning to electric power assist steering systems on their new model vehicles. This helps improve fuel mileage by removing the parasitic drag of the hydraulic pump on the motor.

    For more Power Steering Oil Sealinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

  2. Now that that&#;s sorted, the best way to check what type of steering your vehicle has is to check under the hood and find the power steering fluid reservoir.  Any hydraulic power steering system will have a reservoir to hold power steering fluid for the pump to draw from.  The reservoir is usually clear, black or white plastic with an identifying cap.  If you can&#;t find the reservoir, find you power steering pump then follow the low pressure (larger rubber) line from the pump up to the reservoir.

Power Steering Fluid or Automatic Transmission Fluid?

To make things more complicated, some power steering system require power steering fluid, while others have been designed to use automatic transmission fluid of which there is over a dozen to choose from.  If you&#;ve checked your vehicle&#;s owner&#;s manual and looked on the power steering fluid reservoir cap for direction as to which kind of fluid to use and still come up empty, we recommend you check this power steering fluid application chart to see if your vehicle is listed.  If all else fails, you can try calling your local dealership to see if they can steer you in the right direction.

While you&#;re topping off your power steering system with the correct type of fluid, you should consider why the fluid level is low in the first place.  In almost all case, a low power steering fluid level is due to a fluid leak.  Rather than spending time and money hunting down the leak, you should consider adding BlueDevil Power Steering Stop leak along with your top off fluid. BlueDevil Power Steering Stop leak is compatible with all types of power steering fluid and will seal the leak in your system so you don&#;t have to continue to add fluid.

Why Is Finding the Right Fluid Important?

Installing the correct type of power steering fluid in your power steering system is essential to long life and quiet operation. The power steering fluid is pressurized by the power steering pump, then that pressure is what is used to assist the driver in turning the wheels of the vehicle.  However, your power steering fluid is just there to add force to turning your wheel. Your power steering fluid also lubricates the system and prevents corrosion of the metal components as well as the rubber seals. Fluid that is too thin or too thick to provide proper lubrication could lead to premature wear. The wrong fluid could also be missing the correct additives to prevent corrosion, again leading to premature wear and leaks.

What to Do if Your Power Steering Fluid Is Leaking 

If you notice a leak in your power steering system, it&#;s too late to take preventative measures. It isn&#;t too late, however, to stop the leak in its tracks before it gets worse. First, make sure the leak isn&#;t coming from one of the hoses. The most common hose to leak is the high-pressure hose that runs from the power steering pump to the steering rack or gear. This hose most often leaks where it transitions from a hard pipe into a soft line.  f you&#;ve got a leak here then the only choice you have is to replace that line. One of the least expensive places to purchase parts for your vehicle is at rockauto.com. If it isn&#;t a leaky hose, then BlueDevil Steering Stop Leak is the perfect product to seal your leak from the inside out. Learn more about the product below and get your vehicle back on the road in no time at all! 

Stop Your Leak!

You can also purchase BlueDevil Power Steering Stop Leak at any of our partnering local auto parts stores like:

  • AutoZone
  • Advance Auto Parts
  • Bennett Auto Supply
  • CarQuest Auto parts
  • NAPA Auto Parts
  • O&#;Reilly Auto Parts
  • Pep Boys
  • Fast Track
  • Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts Specialists
  • S&E Quick Lube Distributer
  • DYK Automotive
  • Fisher Auto Parts stores
  • Auto Plus Auto Parts stores
  • Hovis Auto & Truck Supply stores
  • Salvo Auto Parts
  • Advantage Auto Stores
  • Genuine Auto Parts stores
  • Bond Auto Parts stores
  • Tidewater Fleet Supply
  • Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts
  • Any Part Auto Parts
  • Consumer Auto Parts

 

Pictures Provided By:

power_steering_fluid_reservoir.jpg &#; By MG_54 &#; Licensed by Getty Images &#; Original Link

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